Yadkin County budget approved with slight performance increase

On June 26 the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners passed its 2025 fiscal year budget with an amended increase to three percent for performance-based raises for county employees. The proposed budget initially included a two percent performance-based increase option for county staff, as well as a three and half percent cost of living adjustment increase.

At two different public hearings held regarding the budget, close to 30 people spoke in favor of a requested 16 percent increase for employees of the Sheriff's Office as well as additional funding for School Resource Officers.

During the budget discussion by the board at the June 26 meeting, Commissioner Cliff Collins asked several questions about the potential cost for three SROs. Based on a rough estimate, County Manager Lisa Hughes said the annual cost for three school officers would be around $252,534. The school system does currently have nine school officers which are funding through the county as well as some grant funding. The schools that do not currently have SROs are East Bend Elementary, Boonville, Jonesville and Yadkinville. It was also noted during the discussion that in the school system's budget requests they did not ask for funding for SROs at these schools.

Collins also asked questions and made suggestions about increasing the cost of living adjustment versus the performance-based increases which not everyone may be eligible to receive. He said he had been told by county employees that it was "out of grasp" to obtain the performance-based increases.

Hughes explained that evaluations were done by supervisors and "intended to reward top performers." Merit increases in each county department are based upon a percentage (in this case three percent was approved) of the total salaries for that department and that amount of money is distributed by the supervisor among those with the highest scores on the yearly performance evaluations.

Collins made several motions to amend the proposed budget including suggesting a five percent cost of living increase rather than three and half. He also proposed changing the current .05 cent fire tax rate for all districts back to previous rates from 2023 which ranged to up to .08 cents in some of the larger districts. Both of those motions failed for lack of a second.

Vice Chairman David Moxley's initial motion at the start of the discussion to approve the budget ordinance as presented with the change of the performance increase from two percent to three percent was approved in a 4-1 vote with Collins casting the dissenting vote.